Fuchsia plant named ‘KLEFU14842’

ABSTRACT

A new  fuchsia  plant particularly distinguished by flowers having purple petals and red sepals, a compact, mounded, upright plant habit, and a freely-branching growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Fuchsia sp.

Variety denomination: ‘KLEFU14842’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of fuchsia, botanically known as Fuchsia sp. and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘KLEFU14842’. ‘KLEFU14842’ originated from a controlled-cross in October 2011 between the proprietary female fuchsia variety ‘2010.1’ (unpatented) and the proprietary male fuchsia variety ‘2010.7’ (unpatented).

In March 2011, the two fuchsia parental lines ‘2010.1’ and ‘2010.7’ were crossed in Stuttgart, Germany and seeds were obtained. The seeds were sown and plants were grown for evaluation. A plant line was selected in March 2012 and subsequently named ‘KLEFU14842’. In March 2012, ‘KLEFU14842’ was first vegetatively propagated by vegetative cuttings in Stuttgart, Germany. ‘KLEFU14842’ was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings in Stuttgart, Germany.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. Flowers having purple petals and red sepals;     -   2. A compact, mounded, upright plant habit; and     -   3. A freely-branching growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new fuchsia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photograph which shows an overall view of the plant. The photograph is of an approximately 3-month-old plant grown in Stuttgart, Germany under greenhouse conditions in May 2014. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘KLEFU14842’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Latina, Italy. Data was collected on 2.5 to 3 month-old plants in Latina, Italy grown in a greenhouse in June 2015. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition (2007).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Onagraceae.         -   Botanical.—Fuchsia sp.         -   Designation.—‘KLEFU14842’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—The proprietary female fuchsia variety             ‘2010.1’ (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—The proprietary male fuchsia variety ‘2010.7’             (unpatented). -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 1 to 2 weeks at 20             ° C. to 25 ° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 2 weeks at             temperatures of 18 ° C. to 22 ° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—3 to 4 weeks             at temperatures of 20 ° C. to 25 ° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—4 weeks at             temperatures of 18 ° C. to 22 ° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, yellowish white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant:     -   -   Plant habit/form.—Compact, mounded, upright plant habit.         -   Growth habit.—Freely-branching habit with lateral branches             developing potentially at every node; bushy plant habit;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—20.0 cm to 22.0 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—25.0 cm to 28.0 cm. -   Lateral branches:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 15.0 cm to 18.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 2.0 mm.         -   Internode length.—Approximately 2.8 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to semi-upright.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to RHS 146B lightly tinted with close to RHS             187A. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—4.0 cm on average.         -   Width.—1.5 cm on average.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse and rounded.         -   Margin.—Shallowly serrate.         -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: Close to RHS 146B, lightly             tinted with close to RHS 184A. Lower surface: Close to RHS             147C, lightly tinted with close to RHS 184A.         -   Color.—Developing leaves: Upper surface: RHS N137B. Lower             surface: RHS 137C. Fully expanded leaves: Upper surface:             Close to RHS N137A. Lower surface: Close to RHS 147B. -   Petiole:     -   -   Length.—Approximately 0.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—Approximately 1.6 mm.         -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, concave. Lower             surface: Smooth, glabrous, convex.         -   Color (both upper and lower surfaces).—Close to RHS 146C,             occasionally lightly tinted with close to RHS 183A. -   Flower:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single axillary flowers;             flowers pendulous; freely flowering habit with potentially             two flowers per leaf axil.         -   Total number of flowers per plant.—Over than 40 fully open             flower and 80 buds on a mature plant when at flowering             stage.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; in Europe,             plants flower from early spring to autumn; flowering             continuous during this period.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about four to six days on the             plant.         -   Flower diameter.—1.2 cm (petals), 4.7 cm (sepals).         -   Flower height (depth).—Approximately 4.2 cm (base of sepals             to stigma tip).         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Elliptic. Length: Approximately 2.4 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 1.1 cm. Color: RHS 47A. -   Petals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Typically four in a single whorl.         -   Length.—1.6 cm to 1.7 cm.         -   Width.—1.3 cm to 1.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Smooth, glabrous,             satiny.         -   Color.—Upper (outside) surface: When opening: RHS 83B. Fully             open: RHS N77A. Lower (inside) surface: When opening: RHS             N81A. Fully open: RHS N78A. -   Sepals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Calyx star-shaped with four sepals fused at the             base.         -   Length.—2.2 cm.         -   Width.—0.8 cm to 0.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Slightly cuspidate.         -   Base.—Attenuate, fused.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Smooth, glabrous,             and satiny.         -   Color.—Upper (outside) surface: When opening: RHS 47B. Fully             opened: RHS 47B. Lower (inside) surface: When opening: RHS             50A. Fully opened: RHS 52A. -   Peduncles:     -   -   Length.—25 cm on average.         -   Diameter.—0.07 cm to 0.08 cm.         -   Angle.—Arching.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Color.—RHS 146B. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: 8. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal.             Anther size: About 2 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: RHS 164A with             RHS N61A (Red-Purple) shading. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to RHS 157A.         -   Pistils.—Quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: 4.4 cm on             average. Style color: Towards the base, close to RHS 155D;             towards the apex, close to RHS 55A. Stigma shape: Clavate.             Stigma color: RHS 55A. Ovary color: RHS 144A. -   Fruit and seed set: None observed. -   Disease and pest/insect resistance: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLEFU14842’ is distinguished from its parents as described in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Varieties Female parent Male parent Trait ‘KLEFU14842’ ‘2010.1’ ‘2010.7’ Plant habit Mounded Semi-mounded Semi-mounded

‘KLEFU14842’ can be compared to the commercial variety ‘Kiefuzak’, also commercially known as WINDCHIMES ‘Rose Purple’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,764). Differences between the two varieties are described in Table 2:

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Commercial line Trait ‘KLEFU14842’ ‘Kiefuzak’ Plant form Compact Medium-compact 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of fuchsia plant named ‘KLEFU 14842’ as illustrated and described herein. 